Chabot has represented Cincinnati’s West Side in Congress for all but two years since 1994, when he rode into Congress as part of the Newt Gingrich-led Republican Revolution.

His tenure was interrupted for two years when he lost to Democrat Steve Driehaus. Chabot won re-election in 2010 and, thanks to redistricting, has more Republicans in his district when the Ohio General Assembly added Warren County to the First Congressional District.

Three workers asked questions related to tuition reimbursement and what they'd do to protect the military. Jamie Trentman, her voice shaking with emotion, has worked at the Kroger factory for 11 years and told Ryan and Chabot her son will soon enter the Air Force.

"How are you going to protect and transition those in the military overseas and when they come home?" asked Trentman, of Colerain.

Chabot and Ryan responded by saying a bill recently passed by Congress increased money for military equipment, pay and training.

Pureval thinks the working class won’t support Chabot. Prior to the event with Ryan, Pureval sat down with The Enquirer at his campaign headquarters. He attacked Chabot’s support of the Republican tax bill that he said only benefits the rich at the expense of the middle class.

“While Paul Ryan and Steve Chabot are in the executive suites touting and celebrating a tax bill that gives 85 percent benefit to richest 1 percent of the country, the middle class is getting left behind,” Pureval said.

The tax bill did cut taxes for the wealthy, lowering tax rate, 39.6 percent for couples earning more than $470,700 to 37 percent, according to the Washington Post. It also raised the threshold for the highest tax rate to $500,000 for individuals and $600,000 for couples and lowered taxes on corporations.

The final Republican tax plan passed last year also lowers tax rates for each income level and increases the number of Americans who owe nothing in taxes from 44 percent to 47 percent, the Washington Post reported.